The Opal
by The Halo's Scythe
Summary: Cary Brooke is one of The Four. She has the largest quarter of the Opal, the legendary Gemstone, which was broken in the War Of The Gemstones. The Outcasts are looking for her. And the Second War Of The Gemstones is drawing closer by the minute...
1. Chapter 1

**The Opal: By xGaaraRulesx (Emily)**

**Introduction**

Smoke rose from the burnt grass, small flames dying down in the severe chill that hung in the air. Flags mounted on spears were pierced to the ground, and bodies lay, motionless, coated with black ash. A single wild phoenix soared in the air above, it's cry echoing the sorrow that lay in each and every dead body. The battle had ended.

The last known survivor walked across the war ground, no expression on his face betrayed his emotions. His army had fought well, risking their lives for the peace of others. Their opponents didn't deserve their Gemstones. But they were mere humans against the dark sorcerers. The survivor let out a deep sigh. He had not been there to help them. He could have stopped the endless lines of death, but because of his absence, the cries of his army had not been heard. The darkness had clouded through the silver-lining, and the most powerful sorcerer of them all had unleashed his wrath. Little did he know of the severe consequences this would cause for him and his army.

The whole fighting plain had lit up with flames, rain fell from the sky, ice crept across every body, and the ground shook fiercely. The sorcerer quickly realized his mistake, and he too fell, his own elements too powerful for one to hold control of.

The survivor lingered over the body of his aarch-enemy. His powers had been the strength of a single opal, about the size of a pound-coin. No powers were gifted from the heart, except for the small light of faith, hope, love and loyalty. These tiny aspects had kept the survivors' army going. They had no possession. No Gemstones.

The survivor raised his arms into the air, and every single sorcerers Gemstone flew into the air. All of them were perfectly preserved, apart from one. The Opal. The survivor knew that the Opal was the only Gemstone out of the rest that could choose who took control of it. It's past owner had forced it to let him take control, with his own dark powers, increased by rage. Now that the Opal was broken, not even the fiercest creature on Earth could use it as their own.

The survivor thought. He would have to let all of the Gemstones go. Their powers were individual, created by the single light of a star, grain of blue sand, tear of a unicorn, and ash of a phoenix. He threw his hands up into the air, and the Gemstones dispersed into the blue sky; landing in all different places of the Earth.

"_They will fall into the hands of anyone they wish. The Opal, the most powerful of Gemstones, will choose it's controllers. A war will rage again, _both_ opponents equally balanced with a Gemstone. There will be betrayal, hope, despair, life, death, and most of all, faith._" and those were the survivors last words before he let his own Gemstone join it's dark siblings.

This story begins 100 years after the famous _War Of The Gemstones,_ where both sides defeated their enemies and friends, fighting with their eyes blinded by faith, anger, and hope. This is the story of the _second _Gemstone War, declared by 'the survivor' and carried out by his descendants.

This is the story of _The Opal_.

**Chapter One – The Ring**

"Cary, where are you going?" Anne Brooke called down the stairs as her sixteen year-old daughter rushed out of the front door.

"To the village," came the reply. "I'm going to spend my £10 from work on a necklace." and with that, Cary Brook had slammed the door behind her and stepped out into the fresh spring air.

Many cars sped across the lane, pulling out onto the village road. Cary could hear the usual bustle of people buying their weekly items, and saw children rushing across the roads with balls, dogs and skipping ropes. It was usually this busy on a Friday afternoon.

Cary worked at a small Cafe on the corner of the busy village. She had finished school only last month, and had quit her given job as a checkout-girl in Next for the quiet work at Talon Cafe.

She sighed and crossed the lane, turning to a tight alley-way. The shade of the trees sent shivers across her back, and she was pleased to emerge into the daylight again.

"Hey – watch out, you dozy girl!"

Cary drew her attention away from the bright blue sky and saw three boys around her age rushing past, a ball at their feet. She shook her head and pushed through the never-ending crowd of people, stopping at a Jewels shop. She looked at the expensive gold and silver necklaces, and then something glistened in the corner of her eye. She turned and saw a tall lady placing a white-gold ring on her finger. It had a glistening stone encrusted on the top.

"It's too tight." she moaned, twisting the beautiful ring from her thin, delicate index finger and giving it back to the stall-tender, a pale fifteen year old girl with tumbling long blond hair. The tall lady shuffled off and the stall-tender smiled and placed the ring back in it's holder. She didn't seem bothered that the ring had not been sold.

Cary approached the stall, her eyes fixed on the ring. It had a pale pink and grin swirled opal on top; which was about half the size of a 5p coin, and seemed jagged around the edges, like it had been broken from a bigger stone.

"May I help you?"

Cary drew her eyes towards the stall-tender. Her hair was almost white, and her eyes reflected the blue-sky, as if she was the weather herself.

"Er, I'd like to try on that ring. It's very pretty." Cary said. The stall-tender nodded.

"Sure." she picked up the ring with extra care and passed it to Cary, who held it in her hands. It was heavy, and felt freezing cold, like it was ice. She placed it on her index finger. To her surprise, it fit perfectly, although the tall-girl that had tried it on before her had much smaller and thinner fingers. The opal let of a bright green glow, and Cary looked at the stall-tender. Her eyes were wide with surprise, but then softened.

"My name is Tor - - er, Claudia. Would you like that ring?" Claudia said, swallowing. Cary nodded eagerly.

"My name is Cary – and I would love it! Yes, yes! How much --"

"Nothing – take it for free." Claudia said quickly. Cary looked at her, surprised. The sun seemed brighter, and Claudia's eyes seemed to glow, matching it's rays. Cary shook the thought away, and grinned.

"Thank you!" she said, walking away into the crowd of people, very pleased with her new ring. She didn't notice Claudia had left the stall as soon as Cary turned round.

As she walked towards her Cafe, she heard her name from the open door. She slowly peeped inside, and saw Claudia with two other girls. One was tall with dark brown hair and two white gloves – around sixteen. The other was around twelve, with bushy red hair. She had tiger-like black highlights. When Cary approached, they stopped mumbling to each other and began talking about something completely different, although Cary caught the twelve year-olds eye. It had a slit, like a cat, and for a moment Cary thought she was going mad, but a split-second later the girl blinked and the slit was a deep black pupil.

Cary swallowed and walked past, slipping behind the counter. She began to serve some customers, when she heard Claudia speaking again. The words 'ring' and 'chosen her' were mentioned.

She gritted her teeth and gripped onto the glass of coke she was holding, trying to ignore them. Why were they talking about her so much? Maybe Claudia wanted the ring back.

"_Should we tell her?_"

"_No – not yet. We don't even know if it's actually chosen her yet._"

"_I see your point._"

Cary felt anger boiling up inside her. _Tell me what? _She thought to herself, narrowing her eyes at the girls. They saw her and began talking about nonsense again. Cary gripped tighter to the coke glass and heard a chinking sound. The glass of the coke had become freezing cold.

"Ouch!"

She retracted her hand quickly, and noticed that the coke inside the glass had frozen, and was rattling against the sides of the glass. She frowned. It wasn't frozen before she had taken it onto the counter... she began browsing through possibilities, when she heard an impatient cough from in front of her. She looked up.

"Excuse me – is this my coke?" a customer said, drumming his fingers on the counter. Cary opened her mouth to say something, but then nodded and handed him the glass. He stared at the coke and then at Cary before walking off.

Cary looked at her hand and saw the opal glinting, although no light was shining on it.

"Hmm," she mumbled, confused. First – the ring had fit on her finger but had been too tight for a thinner girl. Second, Claudia and her friends are talking about 'telling her' something, and third – the ring was glinting with no light just after a glass of coke had mysteriously frozen under her hand. She sighed and continued serving, annoyingly aware of Claudia's watchful gaze.

Cary decided to go home early that day, to sort out her thoughts. She felt tired, confused and annoyed. As she approached the door, a flood of tiredness swept through her, and she reached out for the handle, twisting it. Suddenly, Cary felt a cold, wet surface. She pulled away her hand, and saw the handle of the door, dripping with water. She looked at her hand, and saw the opal on her ring flash again. She felt her heart thud, and heard Claudia's voice from the back of the Cafe.

"_See that? It's chosen her alright. We'll catch her tomorrow sometime._"

Cary closed her eyes to control her anger, and pulled the door open, ignoring the water dripping from the handle. She slammed it shut and stepped into the cool air outside.

"It's nothing – really, they're probably just winding me up.." she mumbled to herself on the way home. But she knew she was wrong. She knew something was fishy about the ring, Claudia, her gloved-friend and the feline-like girl. Something she hoped she would find out the next day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two – The Gemstones**

The Cafe was quiet the next morning. There was no sight of Claudia and her friends, and just when Cary thought they would never come, the Cafe door opened and Claudia stepped through.

The Cafe was empty, and Cary gave a weak smile.

"Hey, we need to talk." Claudia said, walking up to the counter where Cary sat. The white-gloved girl was hot on her heels.

"I gathered that." Cary replied. Claudia smiled slightly.

"War of the Gemstones; ring any bells?" she asked. Cary shook her head and the gloved-girl sighed.

"My given name is Grace Sense. My chosen name is Electra Tinc. Pleased to meet you, Luna." she said. Claudia rolled her eyes and Cary frowned.

"Pardon?"

"Listen hard, girly. There was once a great sorcerer, who combined the light of a star, grain of blue sand, tear of a unicorn, and ash of a phoenix to create hundreds of Gemstones." Claudia said.

"Gemstones?" Cary asked. Claudia nodded.

"You know – Topaz, Emerald, Ruby --"

"Opal, Garnet, and tons of others. Continue." Cary cut in. Claudia cleared her throat.

"This sorcerer created hundreds of these – all of them holding their own special ability. He released them into the world, and they _all_ fell into the hands of darkness. When the old sorcerer passed away, a war began. The sorcerers with the Gemstones were using their abilities against others – so the only light sorcerer with a Gemstone built up his own army to rebel against them." Claudia ran through the Gemstone history, when the gloved girl broke in.

"You have two names. Your given name, chosen at birth, and your _real _name. Claudia's real name is Torna Melatra, and mine is Electra Tinc. We both have Gemstones. And so do you." Electra said.

"Well – a quarter of one. The Opal was the most powerful Gemstone out here. It held four individual abilities. In the war it was broken into four pieces, and so it's power increased. It moult the ring to fit only who it chooses to be worthy. And it chose you." Torna said.

"There are three others. You are the fourth of a team known as '_The Four_'. Possessors of the Opal Gemstone. Torna and I are part of a team known as '_The Team_'." Electra continued.

"But there are more out there. '_The Outcasts_' are dark possessors of Gemstones. They use their abilities against others and are what the whole _War of the Gemstones_ was about. We know them all – and they have their minds set to kill all of The Team and use our Gemstones as their own. You are in trouble..." Torna paused and Electra continued for her.

"You have the biggest of the pieces of Opal Gemstone. They will be coming after you shortly – and when Torna saw you take that ring, we had to make a decision. Quickly. We've been hidden from The Outcasts for at least a week now. Our base is this village. You have put us in danger – and The Outcasts _are_ coming for you. They will be here in around two days. You --"

"Wait..." Cary said. She couldn't take in anything. She couldn't believe anything. It was all so... strange. "So – I have one of these Gemstones? I have a special ability? And you expect me to fight off these 'Outcasts' for you, just because I have the biggest quarter of the Opal?" Cary asked, shaking.

"Hey – slow down, Cary. We're not asking you to do anything. We're just noting you of the dangers. Now that you know, the Outcasts will track you down easier. You must stay with us – at our base. It's in --"

"Wait, wait," Cary cut in, stopping Torna in her tracks. "you're asking me to move away from my house, away from my mother and sister?"

"Yes... we're sorry, but you are putting them in danger. The Outcasts will kill anyone they come across, and if they find out where you live, they will kill anyone related or close to you." Electra said carefully. Cary swallowed and felt slightly sick and dizzy.

"What do I say?" she asked, not wanting to take the risk of putting her family in danger. Torna smiled.

"Simple. Tell them everything." she said. Cary raised her eyebrows.

"Your sister knows." Electra said. Cary gasped. She had noticed her sister wearing a ring just like hers, with a red ruby encrusted on the top. "Tell her and she'll tell your mother."

Suddenly, the door burst open and the small, feline-like girl rushed in, her face pale.

"Electra – the Outcasts, they're here..." she sobbed. Cary rushed out from behind the counter, panicking.

"What do I do?" she cried. Torna took a deep breath.

"Cary – tell your sister, and then get her to tell your mum. You must then run. Meet us back here, tonight at around 10-ish. We need to ward them off, somehow..." Torna said quickly. I began to tremble with fear.

"How --" suddenly the door burst open again, Anne and Louise Brook walking into the Cafe. Louise looked at her sister, Cary.

"It's you, isn't it? They've come for your Gemstone! Hide!" she said, tugging at her sisters arm. Anne looked at her daughters.

"What is going on?" she asked. Electra swallowed.

"Erm – Miss. Brook, your daughter needs to talk to you about Gemstones --"

"I already know about them! I have one of my own, thank you very much." she said to Electra, before turning to Cary. "Cary – I don't want you to get hurt. You must go to The Teams base ASAP. " she said.

"Mum – you never told me you had a Gemstone!" Cary exclaimed, forgetting about the Outcasts.

"It is our business to keep the Gemstones out of the ears of humans. I never would have told you without a Gemstone in your possession. Now, get on with it!"

Suddenly, a Cafe window smashed, smoke rising from the shattered pieces of glass. Electra swallowed and turned to Cary, Louise and Anne. "Cary – your real name is Luna Raiyn. Your mother is Eclipse Raiyn and your sister is Sola Raiyn. You must not tell anyone your given name, just your real name. They can use this against you and cast magical curses. There's no time left to run – you must hide behind the counter. Eclipse – Sola, get back to your house and protect anyone else there." Everyone nodded and Cary jumped behind the counter, dropping down and peeping over the edge. She could see everything from here, but could only hear her real name ringing through her ears.

_Luna Raiyn_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three – The Outcasts. **

A seventeen year old girl with long blond hair stepped through the broken window, a grin spreading across her face. She had a ten year old girl behind her, followed by a sixteen year old girl with long nails.

"Echo, get behind me." Torna said, signaling to the feline-like girl. She nodded and hid behind Torna, her eyes narrow with hatred for the people that had just walked in. Electra coughed.

"Great to see you, Mina," she pointed at the first girl. "Lilinia," she pointed at the ten year old. "and you, Exendreta. Happy to be back?" she mumbled sarcastically. Mina let out a short laugh and thrust her hands forward. A jet of a green liquid shot from her fingertips. Electra dodged out of the way and it hit the table behind her. The wood began to burn as the green acid spread over it.

Luna swallowed. This was real. She may actually die. She kept still and Lilinia moved forwards. "Where's this new girl, Luna Raiyn? I want that Opal. I need to kill her and receive it for my own." she said in a croaky voice. Echo, the twelve year old feline-like girl, stepped out from behind Torna.

"Never!" she cried, adding a hiss to the end of her sentence.

"_Meow_!" Exendreta exclaimed. Suddenly, her nails grew longer and sharper, like small, thin blades. She slashed them towards Electra and caught her arm, drawing blood. Electra let out a cry of pain and threw off her white gloves, touching the metal tap on the counter behind her. Luna watched with wide eyes as her skin began to harden and turn to metal. The same metal as the tap. It was like a metal shield forming over Electra's body, turning her skin and clothes the same shining silver.

"Leave now, or we'll drag you out." she said. Mina laughed.

"Not after we've got Luna." she said sternly. Luna let out a small gasp, and Lili heard her.

"There she is!" the girl said, running towards the counter. Luna screamed and jumped out, running towards the back door, Lili hot on her heels. Her lungs were burning with a fierceness she'd never felt before. She ran out of the back door into the large, short-grassed meadow ahead.

"Crap!" she mumbled under her breath. There was no-where to hide for miles out here! What had she been thinking. She turned round and came face-to-face with Lili.

"Hello, Luna." the girl said with a laugh. Luna backed away, and as the rest of the Team and Outcasts ran out, Lili began to groan. Luna stood, rooted to the ground with fear, as the girl's clothes ripped. She tore them off, but tore her skin with them. Luna felt sick rising to her throat as Lili turned herself completely inside-out. Blood ran across her exposed organs and muscles, and her black Onyx gemstone was encrusted into the muscle of her finger. The only normal thing about her were her eyes. They weren't inside out, but were bloodshot and red.

"Luna, hide, we'll hold them off!" came Torna's voice. Luna nodded, swallowing down the sicky feeling in her mouth, and running towards the only tree in sight. She tried to climb it, but the trunk was too thin and it thrashed about under her feet. She swallowed her fear and darted behind a large boulder, just as a shot of acid from Mina's fingertips hit the tree behind her, burning into the bark with a small hiss.

Luna watched as Lili turned to the still metaled-up Electra. Mina turned to Exendreta, but before she could speak, the back door of the Cafe burst open, and out came a tall, muscular nineteen year-old boy. "Hey, Luna, wanna give me that ring of yours without a fight, or do I have to go down on 'ma knees and beg?" he said, with a strong Texas accent. Luna kept low in her hiding place, feeling her body tremble with fear.

Electra moved towards him, but Exendreta blocked her path, holding up her nails. Electra growled and hit her around the head. Exendreta screamed and turned to Lili and Mina.

"Darnel, Lili and Mina – stay here while I get more of our team." she mumbled, cradling her head as she moved out of the door.

Electra turned to Lili with a glare. Mina shot an angry glance at Torna and moved towards her, and to Luna's surprise, Darnel, the nineteen year old boy, flashed a grin at Echo. Luna swallowed. They were all fighting for her. She moved from her hiding place, and Darnel spotted her.

"Oh – she's a beauty. Shame I'll have to kill her to get that ring." he said, making a dash towards her. Echo hissed and her eyes turned into deep green slits, her clothes splitting and revealing black and orange striped fur. She grew ears on her head and a long, bushy tail. Her hands and feet split into massive paws, tipped with long, blood-stained talons. She fell onto all-fours and lashed her tail. Her red hair vanished, and she jumped into the air, skidding in front of Darnel, baring her teeth and growling. She had a massive tiger-like figure, with a fluffy, cub-like coat.

Darnel stopped and took a step back, before letting out a small laugh and a howl. He grew large gray and black mixed ears, a long bushy tail. Like Echo – his clothes split and he fell onto his hands and knees as thick grey fur pushed through his clothes, spreading them over the floor. Once fully transformed, he was a strong, handsome looking grey and black wolf. He snarled at the tiger-Echo and ran forwards, catching her by the neck and throwing her to the ground. Luna let out a small cry as the tigeress lashed her tail in pain.

Meanwhile, Electra was backing away from Lili. The small, deformed girl laughed, spluttering up blood.

"Scared of what's inside you?" she asked. "Well – it's probably all metal now." and she lunged forward. Electra dodged and caught a handful of grass. It turned to sharp metal blades in her hand and she threw them towards the flesh of the girl. Lini giggled as the blades entered her body, vanishing into her guts. "Don't try that again. I just absorb anything I touch." she said with a laugh, spitting at the ground and lunging forwards again.

Luna couldn't stand it anymore. She jumped out from her hiding place and swallowed.

"Stop it! Just stop it, seriously!"

she was surprised at how stern her own words sounded. Everyone stopped, and Torna frowned.

"Luna, run, RUN!" she cried. Luna widened her eyes as the wolf dashed towards her, blood dripping from his massive fangs. She screamed and turned, rushing as fast as she could to the bottom of the meadow. She could hear the wolf panting behind her, enjoying the thrill of the hunt. As she neared the end of the meadow, she noticed a tall barbed-wire fence and whined, spinning round and dashing back up the meadow. She thought she'd lost Darnel, when the wolf skidded in front of her and transformed into a fully-clothed human.. The real Darnel. He caught Luna and pinned her arms behind her back, drawing his dagger from his pocket. He held her in his arms with a grin and raised his dagger. She let out a scream and he placed his hand over her mouth.

"Help!" Luna cried between his fingers, but Torna, Electra and Echo were in their own trouble. Torna was being held tight by a fifteen-year-old guy with amazing white wings. Electra was back in her human form and was captive behind Exendreta's long claw-like nails. Mina had Echo in her human form, with a tight headlock. Luna was on her own.

"Now, I don't want to hurt you, but I need that ring, 'a right?" he said. Luna swallowed. He was attractive, but she wouldn't let a war start again over the Opal in the hands of darkness.

"No." she said sternly. Darnel held her tightly and she had no choice but to let her head fall limp. She stared into his blue eyes and saw no expression. He held up his blade to the light and picked up her arm, holding it out towards him.

"Let's make you die slowly and painfully. How about loss of blood?" and he ran the cold blade over the front of her wrist. She screamed as the metal cut through her flesh, and felt her own warm blood gushing across her arm. Darnel dropped her and she squirmed on the grass, trying to cut out the pain. She clutched her bleeding wrist and sobbed. Darnel felt no pity and picked up her other wrist, when suddenly the air rumbled. He looked up and saw the sky darkening. Torna held her hands up into the air and two massive rain-clouds circulated above his head. He cursed under his breath and darted forwards, just as a streak of lightning hit the ground where he stood.

Luna didn't dare open her eyes, as she could feel the red blood across her skin. She suddenly felt a firm hand on her shoulder, and was lifted to her feet. She opened her eyes and saw three kids in front of her. There was a tall, pretty girl who was around fifteen. There was a seventeen year-old boy with a flame darting over his palm, and then a very handsome boy the same age. He grinned.

"Hey. Let's get you to the base." he said. Luna nodded and let him drag her past Electra, Torna and Echo, who were backing away from the fight.

Suddenly, Luna's eyes darted to her throbbing wrist. Black blood oozed out from the fresh slice over her veins. Her clothes were drenched in blood, and she suddenly felt dizzy. As the light left her eyes, the boy dragging her held out his arms as she fell into unconsciousness.


End file.
